SB-82 Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act of 2013.(2013-2014)

Bill Start

Senate Bill
No. 82

CHAPTER 34

An act to amend Section 5892 of, and to add Part 3.8 (commencing with Section 5848.5) to Division 5 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to mental health, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

[
Approved by
Governor
June 27, 2013.
Filed with
Secretary of State
June 27, 2013.
]

Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act, an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, establishes the continuously appropriated Mental Health Services Fund to fund various county mental health programs. The act, as originally enacted, limited state administrative costs to implement duties pursuant to the programs to 5% of the
total of annual revenues received for the fund. Existing law limits state administrative costs to 3.5%. Existing law establishes the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (commission) to oversee the administration of various parts of the Mental Health Services Act. The act provides that it may be amended by the Legislature by a 2/3 vote of each house as long as the amendment is consistent with and furthers the intent of the act, and that the Legislature may also clarify procedures and terms of the act by majority vote.

This bill would restore the limit on state administrative costs to 5%.

This bill would establish the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act of 2013. The bill would provide that funds appropriated by the Legislature to the authority for the purposes of the act be made available to
selected counties or counties acting jointly, except as otherwise provided, and used to increase capacity for client assistance and services in crisis intervention, crisis stabilization, crisis residential treatment, rehabilitative mental health services, and mobile crisis support teams. The bill would require the authority to develop and to consider specified selection criteria for awarding grants, as prescribed. The bill would require the authority to provide prescribed reports to the fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2015. The bill would provide that funds appropriated by the Legislature to the commission for the purposes of the act be allocated to selected counties, counties acting jointly, or city mental health departments, as determined by the commission through a selection process, for triage personnel to provide intensive case management and linkage to services for individuals with mental health disorders. The bill would authorize triage personnel to provide
targeted case management services face to face, by telephone, or by telehealth. The bill would require the commission to consider specified selection criteria for awarding grants, and require the commission to provide a prescribed report to the fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature by March 1, 2014. The bill would prohibit funds awarded by the authority or commission from being used to supplant existing financial and resource commitments of the grantee.

The bill would appropriate $500,000 from the General Fund to the California Health Facilities Financing Authority for these purposes.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.

Digest Key

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Part 3.8 (commencing with Section 5848.5) is added to Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

PART 3.8. COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

5848.5.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) California has realigned public community mental health services to counties and it is imperative that sufficient community-based resources be available to meet the mental health needs of eligible individuals.

(2) Increasing access to effective outpatient and crisis stabilization services provides an opportunity to reduce costs associated with expensive inpatient and emergency room care and to better meet the needs of individuals with mental health disorders in the least restrictive manner possible.

(3) Almost one-fifth of people with mental health
disorders visit a hospital emergency room at least once per year. If an adequate array of crisis services is not available, it leaves an individual with little choice but to access an emergency room for assistance and, potentially, an unnecessary inpatient hospitalization.

(4) Recent reports have called attention to a continuing problem of inappropriate and unnecessary utilization of hospital emergency rooms in California due to limited community-based services for individuals in psychological distress and acute psychiatric crisis. Hospitals report that 70 percent of people taken to emergency rooms for psychiatric evacuation can be stabilized and transferred to a less intensive level of crisis care. Law enforcement personnel report that their personnel need to stay with people in the emergency room waiting area until a placement is found, and that less intensive levels of care tend not to be available.

(5) Comprehensive public and private partnerships at both local and regional levels, including across physical health services, mental health, substance use disorder, law enforcement, social services, and related supports, are necessary to develop and maintain high quality, patient-centered, and cost-effective care for individuals with mental health disorders that facilitates their recovery and leads towards wellness.

(6) The recovery of individuals with mental health disorders is important for all levels of government, business, and the local community.

(b) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act of 2013. The objectives of this section are to do all of the following:

(1) Expand access to early
intervention and treatment services to improve the client experience, achieve recovery and wellness, and reduce costs.

(4) Add at least 600 triage personnel to provide intensive case management and linkage to services for individuals with mental health care disorders at various points of access, such as at designated community-based service points, homeless shelters, and
clinics.

(6) Reduce recidivism and mitigate unnecessary expenditures of local law enforcement.

(7) Provide local communities with increased financial resources to leverage additional public and private funding sources to achieve improved networks of care for individuals with mental health disorders.

(c) Through appropriations provided in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, it is the intent of the Legislature to authorize the California Health Facilities Financing Authority, hereafter referred to as the authority, and the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, hereafter
referred to as the commission, to administer competitive selection processes as provided in this section for capital capacity and program expansion to increase capacity for mobile crisis support, crisis intervention, crisis stabilization services, crisis residential treatment, and specified personnel resources.

(d) Funds appropriated by the Legislature to the authority for the purposes of this section shall be made available to selected counties, or counties acting jointly. The authority may, at its discretion, also give consideration to private nonprofit corporations and public agencies in an area or region of the state if a county, or counties acting jointly, affirmatively supports this designation and collaboration in lieu of a county government directly receiving grant funds.

(1) Grant awards made by the authority shall be used to expand local resources for the development,
capital, equipment acquisition, and applicable program startup or expansion costs to increase capacity for client assistance and services in the following areas:

(E) Mobile crisis support teams, including personnel and equipment, such as the purchase of vehicles.

(2) The authority shall
develop selection criteria to expand local resources, including those described in paragraph (1), and processes for awarding grants after consulting with representatives and interested stakeholders from the mental health community, including, but not limited to, county mental health directors, service providers, consumer organizations, and other appropriate interests, such as health care providers and law enforcement, as determined by the authority. The authority shall ensure that grants result in cost-effective expansion of the number of community-based crisis resources in regions and communities selected for funding. The authority shall also take into account at least the following criteria and factors when selecting recipients of grants and determining the amount of grant awards:

(A) Description of need, including, at a minimum, a comprehensive description of the project, community need, population to be served, linkage with other public
systems of health and mental health care, linkage with local law enforcement, social services, and related assistance, as applicable, and a description of the request for funding.

(B) Ability to serve the target population, which includes individuals eligible for Medi-Cal and individuals eligible for county health and mental health services.

(C) Geographic areas or regions of the state to be eligible for grant awards, which may include rural, suburban, and urban areas, and may include use of the five regional designations utilized by the California Mental Health Directors Association.

(D) Level of community engagement and commitment to project completion.

(E) Financial support that, in addition to a grant that may be awarded by the authority, will be
sufficient to complete and operate the project for which the grant from the authority is awarded.

(F) Ability to provide additional funding support to the project, including public or private funding, federal tax credits and grants, foundation support, and other collaborative efforts.

(G) Memorandum of understanding among project partners, if applicable.

(H) Information regarding the legal status of the collaborating partners, if applicable.

(I) Ability to measure key outcomes, including improved access to services, health and mental health outcomes, and cost benefit of the project.

(3) The authority shall determine maximum grants awards, which shall take into consideration the number of
projects awarded to the grantee, as described in paragraph (1), and shall reflect reasonable costs for the project and geographic region. The authority may allocate a grant in increments contingent upon the phases of a project.

(4) Funds awarded by the authority pursuant to this section may be used to supplement, but not to supplant, existing financial and resource commitments of the grantee or any other member of a collaborative effort that has been awarded a grant.

(5) All projects that are awarded grants by the authority shall be completed within a reasonable period of time, to be determined by the authority. Funds shall not be released by the authority until the applicant demonstrates project readiness to the authority’s satisfaction. If the authority determines that a grant recipient has failed to complete the project under the terms specified in awarding the grant, the
authority may require remedies, including the return of all or a portion of the grant.

(6) A grantee that receives a grant from the authority under this section shall commit to using that capital capacity and program expansion project, such as the mobile crisis team, crisis stabilization unit, or crisis residential treatment program, for the duration of the expected life of the project.

(7) The authority may consult with a technical assistance entity, as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 4061 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, for the purposes of implementing this section.

(8) The authority may adopt emergency regulations relating to the grants for the capital capacity and program expansion projects described in this section, including emergency regulations that define eligible costs and
determine minimum and maximum grant amounts.

(9) The authority shall provide reports to the fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on or before May 1, 2014, and or before May 1, 2015, on the progress of implementation, that includes, but are not limited to, the following:

(A) A description of each project awarded funding.

(B) The amount of each grant issued.

(C) A description of other sources of funding for each project.

(D) The total amount of grants issued.

(E) A description of project operation and implementation, including who is being served.

(10) A recipient of a grant provided pursuant to paragraph (1) shall adhere to all applicable laws relating to scope of practice, licensure, certification, staffing, and building codes.

(e) Funds appropriated by the Legislature to the commission for the purposes of this section shall be allocated for triage personnel to provide intensive case management and linkage to services for individuals with mental health disorders at various points of access. These funds shall be made available to selected counties, counties acting jointly, or city mental health departments, as determined by the commission through a selection process. It is the intent of the Legislature for these funds to be allocated in an efficient manner to encourage early intervention and receipt of needed services for individuals with mental health disorders, and to assist in navigating the local service sector to improve efficiencies and the delivery of services.

(1) Triage personnel may provide targeted case management services face to face, by telephone, or by telehealth with the individual in need of assistance or his or her significant support person, and may be provided anywhere in the community. These service activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

(A) Communication, coordination, and referral.

(B) Monitoring service delivery to ensure the individual accesses and receives services.

(C) Monitoring the individual’s progress.

(D) Providing placement service assistance and service plan development.

(2) The commission shall take into account at least the following
criteria and factors when selecting recipients and determining the amount of grant awards for triage personnel as follows:

(A) Description of need, including potential gaps in local service connections.

(B) Description of funding request, including personnel and use of peer support.

(C) Description of how triage personnel will be used to facilitate linkage and access to services, including objectives and anticipated outcomes.

(E) Ability to administer an effective service program and the degree to which local agencies and service providers will support and collaborate with the triage personnel effort.

(F) Geographic areas or regions of the state to be eligible for grant awards, which shall include rural, suburban, and urban areas, and may include use of the five regional designations utilized by the California Mental Health Directors Association.

(3) The commission shall determine maximum grant awards, and shall take into consideration the level of need, population to be served, and related criteria, as described in paragraph (2), and shall reflect reasonable costs.

(4) Funds awarded by the commission for purposes of this section may be used to supplement, but not supplant, existing financial and resource commitments of the county, counties acting jointly, or city mental health department that received the grant.

(5) Notwithstanding any other law, a
county, counties acting jointly, or city mental health department that receives an award of funds for the purpose of supporting triage personnel pursuant to this subdivision is not required to provide a matching contribution of local funds.

(6) Notwithstanding any other law, the commission, without taking any further regulatory action, may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of informational letters, bulletins, or similar instructions.

(7) The commission shall provide a status report to the fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on the progress of implementation no later than March 1, 2014.

SEC. 2.

Section 5892 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

5892.

(a) In order to promote efficient implementation of this act, the county shall use funds distributed from the Mental Health Services Fund as follows:

(1) In 2005–06, 2006–07, and in 2007–08 10 percent shall be placed in a trust fund to be expended for education and training programs pursuant to Part 3.1.

(2) In 2005–06, 2006–07 and in 2007–08 10 percent for capital facilities and technological needs distributed to counties in accordance with a formula developed in consultation with the California Mental Health Directors Association to implement plans developed pursuant to Section 5847.

(3) Twenty percent of funds distributed to the
counties pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 5891 shall be used for prevention and early intervention programs in accordance with Part 3.6 (commencing with Section 5840) of this division.

(4) The expenditure for prevention and early intervention may be increased in any county in which the department determines that the increase will decrease the need and cost for additional services to severely mentally ill persons in that county by an amount at least commensurate with the proposed increase.

(5) The balance of funds shall be distributed to county mental health programs for services to persons with severe mental illnesses pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850), for the children’s system of care and Part 3 (commencing with Section 5800), for the adult and older adult system of care.

(6) Five percent of
the total funding for each county mental health program for Part 3 (commencing with Section 5800), Part 3.6 (commencing with Section 5840), and Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) of this division, shall be utilized for innovative programs in accordance with Sections 5830, 5847, and 5848.

(b) In any year after 2007–08, programs for services pursuant to Part 3 (commencing with Section 5800), and Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) of this division may include funds for technological needs and capital facilities, human resource needs, and a prudent reserve to ensure services do not have to be significantly reduced in years in which revenues are below the average of previous years. The total allocation for purposes authorized by this subdivision shall not exceed 20 percent of the average amount of funds allocated to that county for the previous five years pursuant to this section.

(c) The allocations pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) shall include funding for annual planning costs pursuant to Section 5848. The total of these costs shall not exceed 5 percent of the total of annual revenues received for the fund. The planning costs shall include funds for county mental health programs to pay for the costs of consumers, family members, and other stakeholders to participate in the planning process and for the planning and implementation required for private provider contracts to be significantly expanded to provide additional services pursuant to Part 3 (commencing with Section 5800), and Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) of this division.

(d) Prior to making the allocations pursuant to subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), funds shall be reserved for the costs for the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Mental Health Planning Council, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development, the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, the State Department of Public Health, and any other state agency to implement all duties pursuant to the programs set forth in this section. These costs shall not exceed 5 percent of the total of annual revenues received for the fund. The administrative costs shall include funds to assist consumers and family members to ensure the appropriate state and county agencies give full consideration to concerns about quality, structure of service delivery, or access to services. The amounts allocated for administration shall include amounts sufficient to ensure adequate research and evaluation regarding the effectiveness of services being provided and achievement of the outcome measures set forth in Part 3 (commencing with Section 5800), Part 3.6 (commencing with Section 5840), and Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) of this division. The amount of funds available for the purposes of this subdivision in any fiscal year shall be subject to appropriation in the annual Budget Act.

(e) In 2004–05 funds shall be allocated as follows:

(1) Forty-five percent for education and training pursuant to Part 3.1 (commencing with Section 5820) of this division.

(2) Forty-five percent for capital facilities and technology needs in the manner specified by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).

(3) Five percent for local planning in the manner specified in subdivision (c).

(4) Five percent for state implementation in the manner specified in subdivision (d).

(f) Each county shall place all funds received from the State Mental Health Services Fund in a local Mental Health Services Fund. The Local Mental Health Services Fund
balance shall be invested consistent with other county funds and the interest earned on the investments shall be transferred into the fund. The earnings on investment of these funds shall be available for distribution from the fund in future years.

(g) All expenditures for county mental health programs shall be consistent with a currently approved plan or update pursuant to Section 5847.

(h) Other than funds placed in a reserve in accordance with an approved plan, any funds allocated to a county which have not been spent for their authorized purpose within three years shall revert to the state to be deposited into the fund and available for other counties in future years, provided however, that funds for capital facilities, technological needs, or education and training may be retained for up to 10 years before reverting to the fund.

(i) If there are still additional revenues available in the fund after the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission has determined there are prudent reserves and no unmet needs for any of the programs funded pursuant to this section, including all purposes of the Prevention and Early Intervention Program, the commission shall develop a plan for expenditures of these revenues to further the purposes of this act and the Legislature may appropriate these funds for any purpose consistent with the commission’s adopted plan which furthers the purposes of this act.

(j) For the 2011–12 fiscal year, General Fund revenues will be insufficient to fully fund many existing mental health programs, including Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT), Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Managed Care, and mental health services provided for special education
pupils. In order to adequately fund those programs for the 2011–12 fiscal year and avoid deeper reductions in programs that serve individuals with severe mental illness and the most vulnerable, medically needy citizens of the state, prior to distribution of funds under paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive, of subdivision (a), effective July 1, 2011, moneys shall be allocated from the Mental Health Services Fund to the counties as follows:

(1) Commencing July 1, 2011, one hundred eighty-three million six hundred thousand dollars ($183,600,000) of the funds available as of July 1, 2011, in the Mental Health Services Fund, shall be allocated in a manner consistent with subdivision (c) of Section 5778 and based on a formula determined by the state in consultation with the California Mental Health Directors Association to meet the fiscal year 2011–12 General Fund obligation for Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Managed Care.

(2) Upon completion of the allocation in paragraph (1), the Controller shall distribute to counties ninety-eight million five hundred eighty-six thousand dollars ($98,586,000) from the Mental Health Services Fund for mental health services for special education pupils based on a formula determined by the state in consultation with the California Mental Health Directors Association.

(3) Upon completion of the allocation in paragraph (2), the Controller shall distribute to counties 50 percent of their 2011–12 Mental Health Services Act component allocations consistent with Sections 5847 and 5891, not to exceed four hundred eighty-eight million dollars ($488,000,000). This allocation shall commence beginning August 1, 2011.

(4) Upon completion of the allocation in paragraph (3), and as revenues are deposited into the
Mental Health Services Fund, the Controller shall distribute five hundred seventy-nine million dollars ($579,000,000) from the Mental Health Services Fund to counties to meet the General Fund obligation for EPSDT for fiscal year 2011–12. These revenues shall be distributed to counties on a quarterly basis and based on a formula determined by the state in consultation with the California Mental Health Directors Association. These funds shall not be subject to reconciliation or cost settlement.

(5) The Controller shall distribute to counties the remaining 2011–12 Mental Health Services Act component allocations consistent with Sections 5847 and 5891, beginning no later than April 30, 2012. These remaining allocations shall be made on a monthly basis.

(6) The total one-time allocation from the Mental Health Services Fund for EPSDT, Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Managed Care, and
mental health services provided to special education pupils as referenced shall not exceed eight hundred sixty-two million dollars ($862,000,000). Any revenues deposited in the Mental Health Services Fund in fiscal year 2011–12 that exceed this obligation shall be distributed to counties for remaining fiscal year 2011–12 Mental Health Services Act component allocations, consistent with Sections 5847 and 5891.

(k) Subdivision (j) shall not be subject to repayment.

(l) Subdivision (j) shall become inoperative on July 1, 2012.

SEC. 3.

For the purpose of the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act of 2013, the amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the California Health Facilities Financing Authority to implement grant programs to support the development, capital, equipment acquisition, and applicable program startup or expansion costs to increase capacity for client assistance and services for individuals with mental health disorders. The authority may administratively establish positions for this purpose. These funds shall be available for encumbrance and expenditure until June 30,
2016.

SEC. 4.

This act is a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill within the meaning of subdivision (e) of Section 12 of Article IV of the California Constitution, has been identified as related to the budget in the Budget Bill, and shall take effect immediately.

SEC. 5.

The Legislature finds and declares that this act clarifies procedures and terms of the Mental Health Services Act within the meaning of Section 18 of the Mental Health Services Act.